Showing posts with label God's goodness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label God's goodness. Show all posts

Monday, January 6, 2025

Abundance of Grace: More than enough or too much?

For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.) Romans 5:17 NKJV

For if, through the transgression of the one individual, Death made use of the one individual to seize the sovereignty, all the more shall those who receive God's overflowing grace and gift of righteousness reign as kings in Life through the one individual, Jesus Christ. Romans 5:17 WEY

 How much Grace is enough? Is there such a thing as too much Grace? Is it possible to get "out of balance" with Grace? Is there too much focus on Grace and not enough on Christians "doing"?

 My instant response to these questions is to remember that Jesus is the person of Grace. Jesus is God's will in action. Jesus is the Father's expressed perfect will. We know God is always God and wants our good because we see Jesus demonstrate this during His earthly ministry.

 My initial response is too much, Grace? How can we have too much of Jesus? The religious-minded say they don't think we can have too much of Jesus but that Grace people only focus on a part of Jesus' life and ministry. Critics, in essence, say the "Grace message" focuses only on Jesus as Savior, not on Him being Lord!

 Religious tradition's concept of Jesus' Lordship is that of an austere taskmaster. He will subjugate and demand obedience or unleash trouble and turmoil in one's life. Religion's concept of Lordship means He places burdensome rules, regulations, and requirements on our lives. 

 Jesus' Lordship is not about our performance or behavior. Jesus' Lordship is about who He is and what His triumphant work of Redemption accomplished. Because of His Finished Work, He is Lord of all creation, all the powers of darkness, and over the curse. 

 Jesus is Lord over healing and wholeness. Jesus is Lord over prosperity and provision and blessing. Jesus is Lord over deliverance and freedom. He is Lord of all! Jesus' Lordship recognizes who He is, what He accomplished, and what He is doing today through the power of the Word and the Holy Ghost. 

 Grace teaches us to deny ungodliness and live upright lives (Titus 2:11-12). It transforms us from the inside out, making true holiness possible—not through rules or fear, but through a relationship with the One who has already made us holy. To embrace grace is to embrace the fullness of Jesus, and to suggest it’s ‘too much’ is to misunderstand the Gospel entirely. Grace isn’t just enough—it’s more than enough because it’s the unending, all-sufficient gift of Jesus Himself.

 Again this Grace teaches us to deny ungodliness and the desires the world seeks after. These are not the Lord creating rules, but maximizing our life here. Adultery, addictions, and abusing our bodies with chemical substances have lingering consequences that dishonor the Lord and impact our personal lives negatively. 

Remember God isn't punishing us for our sins. Jesus paid the price in full with His precious shed blood. We have been forgiven of all our sins past and present and future. Our sins are already forgiven. God isn't imputing sins to the Righteous ever again. To claim God is punishing a believer for sin is to disregard and make nothing of Jesus' Finished Work.

 I can understand staying centered and not wrongly teaching truths from the Scriptures. For instance, teaching healing is good, but is wrongly applied if we tell people to never go to a doctor. That said, we can never over-emphasize Grace or have too much Grace.

 We can never over-emphasize Faith. Faith is how the believer lives. Faith is how we please God. Grace can never be over-emphasized. Grace is the person of Jesus. Grace is the Gospel of Christ. We are saved by Grace through Faith. These truths of God can never be over-emphasized.

 I liken this whole over-emphasis argument to the human anatomy. Can you imagine a physician saying you are focusing too much on your heart? The body needs the brain, the lungs, the kidneys, the heart, etc to live healthy and sustain life. So it is in Christ. We need Faith, we need Grace, we need Love, we need hope in order to live, spiritually speaking. 

 When religious tradition claims we focus too much on grace, it reveals a fundamental misunderstanding: Grace isn’t a doctrine to balance—it’s the person of Jesus Christ. Grace is the Gospel itself. Can we ever have too much of Jesus, the One who embodies grace and truth? To say there’s 'too much grace' is to undermine the very essence of the Good News and the life-transforming power it carries. Grace isn’t just sufficient—it’s everything.

Tuesday, November 19, 2024

Living the Victorious Christian Life: Words


But thanks be to God, Who gives us the victory [making us conquerors] through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 corinthians 15:57 AMPC

But thanks be to God, who is always leading us in triumph in · Christ, and through us is making known the fragrance of the knowledge of him in every place. 2 Corinthians 2:14 MOUNCE

 Who doesn't like winning? We wouldn't follow a sports team very long if all they did was lose every single game they played. It's the same in the spiritual arena. In Christ, we have reason to celebrate. We who have received the free gift of Grace are now victors in this life. We are winners, champions, and triumphant, all because of Jesus.

 Living a life of victory is what Christ provided for us in this life as well as the one to come. He has given us the provision, tools, and keys, if you will, to be victorious in life. Delving into this victorious life, we have seen wisdom, hope, and Faith as important factors in living victorious lives. 

 Today, I want to go further into these areas by looking at the words we speak daily;

For the word of a king is authoritative and powerful, And who will say to him, “What are you doing?” Ecclesiastes 8:4 AMP

 Words are powerful and creative. Words are containers. They either contain life, goodness, Grace, and Faith or death, cursing, unbelief, and condemnation. In desiring to live victoriously, we must ask ourselves what are we speaking? What are we saying?

 Most believers are familiar with the passage in Proverbs that says death and life are in the power of the tongue. What is more powerful is reading it in the context of the previous verse. 

From the fruit of a man's mouth is his belly satisfied, From the increase of his lips he is satisfied. Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those loving it eat its fruit. Proverbs 18:20-21 YLT

 Words continually spoken reveal where we are in our thinking and what we have been feeding on consistently. Words of doubt, fear, worry, and anxiety show that we are feeding on and giving attention to the symptoms, the problem, the lack, and the current circumstances we face. 

 It's not that we should ignore what we are going through. It's not that we should pretend nothing is wrong or deny what is happening or what we face. Walking in victory means we shift our focus, thinking, and belief onto God's provision and promise. 

 Look at an athletic event for example of what I am speaking of. Say it's the 4th quarter with 5 minutes left to play and the team is down 14 points. Does this mean it's over? No hope of winning the game? 

 That depends on what the players and coaches are giving attention to. If they only see the deficit on the scoreboard, the abilities of the opposing defense, and their own deficiencies, they will not overcome the odds. Champions look not at the circumstances but at the possibilities of victory. 

 In other words, they have hope, they don't quit. They have positive expectations to overcome the deficit. They exercise wisdom in calling and executing plays. They believe they can and they act on their belief and go for it. 

 So what are we feeding on? What are we giving attention to? If we feed on the Word of Christ, what He has done, what He has provided, and what the Father promises, our beliefs and thinking begin to align with what is written and what He accomplished. Our words then begin to agree with God and not disagree with Him.

 We can talk ourselves out of the promises and provisions of God. I know that cuts cross grain the hyper-sovereignty view so many preach about God. This is not God withholding from us. This is not God saying no I won't bless you now because of poor performance. 

 This is us disagreeing with God and unwittingly telling Him no. He will not override our will. Jesus said out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 

 Words are a powerful force in the universe. God created the whole universe by speaking to it. Faith and confession, or agreement, are inseparable truths. Faith is released by words. We got saved by words spoken. Now we didn't cause the salvation but words made it real in our lives. 

 By faith [that is, with an inherent trust and enduring confidence in the power, wisdom and goodness of God] we understand that the worlds (universe, ages) were framed and created [formed, put in order, and equipped for their intended purpose] by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible. Hebrews 11:3 AMP

 Our words are framing our own world. If we agree or disagree with God, we will see our lives framed by that which we speak. If we believe He holds our sins against us and speak that out, our lives will be framed with guilt, shame, inferiority, and condemnation. On the other hand, if we agree with God that we are forever forgiven and made Righteous, our lives will be framed with peace, confidence, and freedom.

 Faith's confession agrees with the reality that Grace already made. Faith's confession creates that reality in our own life. Speaking in alignment with Christ and the promises of the Father frames our world with Faith, hope, victory, and wholeness in every area of life.

 Abram spoke in agreement with God and manifested the promise. God changed his name to Abraham. That means father of a multitude. He called him the father of a multitude when he currently wasn't. Abraham kept agreeing with God, calling himself the father of a multitude, and soon after Isaac was born. 

 So let me ask what are you saying? The Word doesn't let the weak say I am weak. it says to let the weak say I am strong. What are you saying? 

 "God can't forgive me, I have sinned so terribly."

 "God won't forgive me this time, I have committed this sin once too often!"

 "There is no way God can help me. This situation is impossible."

  "I can't receive healing, this is incurable."

 "God can't provide for me, this is too big for even God."

 In summation, words are one of the most powerful forces in the universe. Let's add our agreement with the Grace of God, the Finished Work of Christ, and God's Word. Let's speak out in agreement with God and not the situation. Let's consider Jesus and the Father's great Love for us and not the problem. Let's embrace the victorious Christian life with the words we speak. 

 I declare victory, hope, healing, power, and blessing over every area of your life in Jesus' name. 


Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Tuesday, November 12, 2024

Living the Victorious Christian Life: Faith

 


But thanks be to God, Who gives us the victory [making us conquerors] through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 corinthians 15:57 AMPC

But thanks be to God, who is always leading us in triumph in · Christ, and through us is making known the fragrance of the knowledge of him in every place. 2 Corinthians 2:14 MOUNCE 

 What comes to mind when you hear the word "victory"? Maybe it’s when your favorite sports team wins or a long-standing problem finally gets resolved. Victory brings a sense of relief, joy, and fulfillment when challenges are overcome.

 The Good News of Jesus Christ is that in Him, we have victory—not just occasionally, but as an ongoing part of our lives. Through His work on the cross, He has equipped us with everything we need to live victoriously. As we delve into living the victorious Christian life, we’ve seen how wisdom and hope empower us. Today, we’ll explore another vital key: Faith.

 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world— our faith. 1 John 5:4 NKJV

 Faith is the foundation for walking triumphantly. Now, Faith is not merely what denomination you belong to or the religious belief system you hold to. Let's define Faith so we are on the same page.

 A simple definition and understanding of faith is being fully persuaded. Persuaded of what? That God is a Good Father and is for us, not against us. In essence, it's having a good opinion of God. 

 More precisely defined Faith is the assurance, the conviction, the "title deed" of the things we hope for (positively expect for), being the proof of things we do not see, the conviction of their reality, Faith perceiving, fully assured, as real fact what is not yet revealed to the senses. This is a detailed definition and understanding of Faith.

  I believe this definition beautifully captures the essence of Faith as described in Hebrews 11:1—Faith is "the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." The perspective that Faith is a "title deed" is powerful because it emphasizes that Faith is our legal, spiritual claim to what grace has already provided. When we have Faith, we’re holding the title deed to promises and realities that may not yet be visible in the physical realm but are assured in the spiritual realm.

Building on this, Faith is our confident trust in God’s character, promises, and His Finished Work through Jesus. Faith is a fully persuaded heart that embraces what God has already done by grace, even when our senses or circumstances don’t yet align with it. It’s a stance of inner certainty, holding onto God’s truth as more real than any other reality.

 In practice, Faith operates from a place of rest and expectation, not striving or uncertainty. It is the active assurance that what God has promised is not just possible but certain, and we live in accordance with that conviction. When we "speak in Faith," we're not trying to manifest something new; we're simply releasing into our lives what has already been accomplished in the spiritual realm through grace.

 Faith is not about earning or striving. Yes, there is an effort in Faith, but the effort is not about earning or attempting to gain something from God as payment for our doing, our performing, or our works. The fight of Faith is to rest in what He has already accomplished.

 Walking by Faith is key to living victoriously in this life. We have a positive expectation of good because of Jesus' Finished Work. His triumphant work of redemption brings us hope. Faith is what gives substance to that which we hope for. Without hope there is nothing for Faith to give substance to. Without Faith, what we hope for is merely wishful thinking because we have nothing to give substance to our expectations. 

 Faith is not moved by time, by circumstance, or how we feel. Faith declares God's Word is true. God's Word isn't true because I feel it or experience it. God's Word is true because God said it. Faith having a good opinion of God, is fully persuaded that His Word is true regardless of experience, and because it is true, we will experience it in our personal lives. 

 Faith is not "blind faith." Faith is not a fantasy or fairy tale. Faith is rooted in what Jesus has done, what He has procured, purchased, and provided for in the Finished Work of redemption. 

 Faith comes by hearing the Word of Christ Jesus. The more we hear about Jesus, the more Faith comes. The more we continue to hear and act like what He said and has done for us is true and actively believe for His provision to manifest, the more our Faith grows and develops.    

 Faith is the victory that overcomes the world. That is whatever is contrary to Grace, to redemption, to the Finished Work, to His Love, His Goodness, Faith is what overcomes that. Faith is the victory! 

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Wednesday, September 11, 2024

Thinking God's thoughts

 


Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:2 NLT

The importance of right thinking is an essential element in living the victorious life in Christ. Christ purchased and procured our redemption and complete victory at Calvary. Yet we will never experience it fully if our thinking isn't aligning with God's.

 That is a strong statement. It is but is it true nonetheless. For example, Christ paid the price for our forgiveness. Yet if one thinks their sin is too great for God to forgive, they will cower in God's presence. They will shrink back from Him, disqualifying themselves, and seeing their sin as a barrier between themselves and God. 

 We must renew our minds to think God's thoughts. We must relinquish the thinking of the world system and embrace God's thoughts. We must pull down strongholds of traditional religious thinking and wholeheartedly accept and receive God's thoughts. 

 Sometimes our thinking is born out of negative experiences we have endured. We must allow our experiences to be challenged by His Word. We must align our lives with His truth and not our experience. 

 True freedom and victory are only found in embracing God's thinking. When we renew our minds to who God is, what He has said about our circumstances, our identity, and how He sees us and has forever accepted us in Christ we will walk in His fullness and promises. Thinking His thoughts bring hope and peace that surpasses human limitations.

 So how do we think God's thought? First, we have to know Him. I would never know someone's thoughts on a given topic if I didn't know them, or didn't spend quality time with them. 

 How do we get to know Him? First, look at Jesus. Jesus revealed the Father to us. I like how one minister described Jesus, the will of God in action. If we have seen Jesus we have seen the Father. 

 I don't see Jesus condemning people. I don't see Him sending disasters or plagues. I don't see Him causing someone's death. I don't see Him bankrupting businesses or making someone sick. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the enemy. 

 Secondly, we need to know the Word of God. We need to know it  rightly divided between the Old and New Covenant. We need to know the Word revealed through Jesus and His Grace and the Goodness of God. 

 Jesus is perfect theology. He perfectly revealed the Father. He revealed a Good Father whose desire is to do good and heal all who were oppressed by the enemy. Supernatural provision, deliverance, raising the dead, forgiving sins, and bringing the gift of no condemnation revealed a loving Savior and a Good God. This is who Jesus is.

 Thirdly, we need to receive of God's gifts to the Church, the fivefold ministry. No, not ministries blinded by tradition but ministers who are anointed and have received the fullness of the Gospel of Grace, understand His Goodness at all times, and are full of Faith and not unbelief. God's gifts help break the bread of life so we can freely feed on God's Word. Faith comes by hearing the Word of Christ.

 We will renew our minds by fellowshipping with God in personal prayer time. We will renew our minds by looking at Jesus and seeing the Good Father He revealed to us. We will renew our minds when we read and study the Word of God rightly divided. We will renew our minds by feeding on God's Word taught by ministers of Faith and Righteousness. 

The more we continue in this, the longer we do this, and the more attention we give to this, we will see a radical shift in our thinking. We will be able to rightly divide the Word from tradition to truth. We see a Good Father who is for us and not against us. We will embrace a different outlook concerning our circumstances. We will trust in Him and see Him as the help and hope rather than the one ordaining difficulties.   


Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay

Thursday, September 5, 2024

Goodness: Now and Later!

For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance. 1 Timothy 4:8-9 NKJV 

 Our God is a Good Father. Christians serve a Good God. Serve doesn't mean earning, or striving for, but in service of the King, we are ambassadors for Christ. God is such a Good God, He always has our best in mind.

 When we think of prosperity, healing, and goodness in this life, many conjure images and examples of excess and abuse in their thinking. When we mention wholeness and goodness for the here and now, many say no, the good life is for the future, in Heaven. Yet the Father made these promises and provided for them in Redemption. He did this to demonstrate His Goodness and lovingkindness to a lost and hurting world.

 Prosperity, healing, and wholeness are God's ideas. It is His way to visibly demonstrate His all the time Goodness. God wants to show His people off and let all the world know He is a good God. 

 Paul spoke of this idea of blessing in this life and the one to come. He wrote under the inspiration of the Spirit the text for this study. He states truly Godliness is profitable for this life and the one to come. He also wrote about this in 1 Corinthians 15;

If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable. 1 Corinthians 15:19 NKJV

 In context Paul was preaching the Gospel of Jesus and addressing those who claim there is no future fulfillment, the resurrection has passed, and those claiming there is no resurrection. Therefore claiming Jesus didn't rise from the dead. Paul was not saying there is no promise for this life but only the next.

 Paul was not contradicting himself. The Spirit doesn't lead to contradictions. The problem with relegating everything to the afterlife and discounting healing and prosperity as excess and abuse is twofold. 

 The first problem is we take away from God's Goodness. We make God out to be a terrible Father. What would someone think if they saw a wealthy father have a child who had holes in his shoes, malnourished, and dirty, old tattered clothes? They would say that is a terrible unkind and neglectful father. 

 Secondly, we diminish what Christ suffered and died for. We take away from the fullness of what He procured and purchased and provided for in His work of Redemption. This limits God and causes people not to awaken to the fullness of their inheritance in Christ. 

Now in a fallen world suffering is a reality. While suffering exists, it doesn’t negate God’s compassionate desire for His children to experience blessings now. Misinterpreting suffering as God’s will can prevent believers from standing in faith for healing, prosperity, and breakthrough It's of vital importance to differentiate between the trials of living in a fallen world and God's will. God is always for us, never against us, and wants His children to walk in His promises.

Matthew 6:19-21 teaches about storing up treasures in heaven, emphasizing eternal rewards. However, this does not mean earthly blessings are excluded. It’s about prioritizing God’s kingdom while also recognizing that God cares for our needs in this life (Philippians 4:19).

And it is he who will supply all your needs from his riches in glory because of what Christ Jesus has done for us. Philippians 4:19 TLB

 In summation, The belief that all blessings are stored up in heaven often stems from a misunderstanding of God's character and the fullness of His promises. God's goodness includes a desire for us to experience healing, provision, and a blessed life here on earth, as well as eternal life with Him. Godliness is profitable for this life as well as the life to come, we have a Good God we can trust and rely on. 


Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Thursday, August 29, 2024

Your Best Life Now?

For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance. 1 Timothy 4:8-9 NKJV

God is a Good God. Jesus is a loving Savior who laid His life down to redeem us. The Holy Spirit is our Comforter and Counselor and the fire from on high indwelling all those who believe. How do we see God though? How do we see the Christian life? 

 If God is a Good Father and His Son loved us so much that He went through the sufferings of the Cross on our behalf, how does this shape our view of the Christian life? How should we then live in light of this? 

 If God is Good, Jesus loves us so much and God sent His Spirit to indwell all who believe, how does He want us to live this life? Does He want our lives filled with misery, mistreatment, and misfortune? What is the life He desires for us?

 When I look at the life Jesus lived on earth, I don't see a life filled with despondency, despair, depression, or desolation. I see Jesus going around doing good and healing all! Jesus dealt with persecution from religious leaders, but his real suffering was only when He was paying the price for our redemption. 

 Religious tradition has decided to ignore all Jesus did and claim that the Christian life is meant to be a life full of nothing but affliction, agony, and anguish. To them, tragedy, torment, and tribulation are all one should expect in this life. They also say we should be thankful to receive all these things.

 Yet when I read the Bible why do I see God and His people bringing healing, hope, and help to so many? Religion would respond that Jesus and the disciples went about doing good just to preach the Gospel and get people saved. Yes it is true goodness on display points the lost to a loving Savior, and people respond, this is certainly an important reason but isn't the only reason. God brings wholeness, and relief, and alleviates suffering simply because He is Good and desires to do good.

 Jesus raised Jairus' daughter from the dead, He healed the Centurion's servant and did many other works of goodness, healing all who were oppressed by the devil. He did this to demonstrate His goodness and God's love. If we were to apply modern religious traditional teachings to these events, Jesus shouldn't have gone about doing good and healing. 

 Jesus should have asked Jairus why are you focusing on seeing your daughter healed? You should be more focused on becoming righteous and holy. You should be focused on how sinful you are and how your best life is in heaven not here. Jesus should have told the little girl, your best life isn't here so just accept this sickness and eventual death. 

 When the Centurion beseeched Jesus to come heal his servant Jesus should have responded, you gentile, you heathen! You are sinful and wretched, how can you dare ask me anything?! You need to realize your best life is never here. Repent and keep repenting, and only expect misery and hardship in this life. I trust you see the fallacy of the religious traditions of men. 

 Does God want our best life now or only in the hereafter? The true, biblical answer is both. Father God is Good and wants only our best. The interesting fact about the religious leaders proclaiming God wants our worst life now, all live in affluence, possess many earthly goods, and do what they can do to provide comfort and happiness to their own kids. 

 Godliness is profitable for the hereafter and the life we live today. God has plans and purposes for our lives. He has a destiny for His children. He has great things He wants us to accomplish. Now the scale is different for each of us, but it is still great nonetheless. 

 Perhaps He purposed us to help lead our family to Christ, or that coworker to find help and restoration for their past trauma. God has plans for us and they are always good. Each part of the Body of Christ is important, vital, and needed. You are valuable and have a calling, gifts, talents, and a destiny only you can fulfill.

 Don't allow religious tradition small-minded people to steal God's dreams and visions and destiny He has planned for you. Favor surrounds you like a shield. Goodness and mercy follow you all the day.

 In summation, disregard the goofy ideas of religious tradition. Stay with the Word. God is always good. He has promise for the life that now is and the one to come. It is time to live your best life now. 

 

Image by Alexandr from Pixabay

Sunday, August 11, 2024

The Father is Always Good!



For the Lord is always good. He is always loving and kind, and his faithfulness goes on and on to each succeeding generation. 
Psalm 100:5 TLB 

Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see— how good God is. Blessed are you who run to him. Psalm 34:8 MSG

O taste and see that the Lord [our God] is good; How blessed [fortunate, prosperous, and favored by God] is the man who takes refuge in Him.  Psalm 34:8 AMP

 God our Father is a Good Father. God Almighty is Good and only Good. He is Good and only does good! We have a Father who loves us and a Father we can trust.

 It seemed good to speak more about the goodness of God. Someone may say, haven't you already talked about His goodness? Is another study on His goodness necessary? My response would be, seeing the predominant thinking of the world, and the Church, it is still a vital message that needs to be taught more and more.

 So many still cling to the idea that God is a not-so-good God and that He tests, and tries with tragedy, troubles, torment, and tribulation. Many believe He inflicts and ordains hard times,  just to humble, and teach us. Or punish us if we fail too often.

 God is always Good! He has revealed Himself in the person of the Son. Jesus when He came to earth showed a loving and compassionate Father. A Father who longed for a family. A Father who was not afflicting but rather a Father who was bringing life and healing all.  

 God also revealed Himself, His character, by the Hebrew names He revealed to His people. He is Jehovah Rapha, the Lord our Healer. He is Jehovah Tsidkenu, the Lord our Righteousness. He is Jehovah Shalom, the Lord our Peace. These names tell us more about our Father and His real work among men. 

 God is Jehovah the Good. Yet religion and tradition have added their own names of God. To them, He is Jehovah calamity, the bringer of destructive events, fires, accidents, crashes, and crises. To them, He is Jehovah disaster, the bringer of tsunamis, earthquakes, tornados, hurricanes, and storms. To them, He is Jehovah pestilence, the bringer of plagues, pandemics, affliction, sickness, and disease. To them, He is Jehovah indignant, the angry, the furious, the frenzied, rage-filled, looking to strike and punish man when he fails.

 Religion and tradition also have created a stronghold in the minds of so many with their teaching on the Sovereignty of God. They define sovereignty as God ordains, determines, and causes every event on earth. That He is in total control of every facet of life. 

 That bank robbery that occurred? God must have had a mysterious purpose for this event. That tsunami? God caused it to punish the sinners, and to prove to all He is God. That pandemic? God must have ordained it.

 These are the misconceptions of the religious traditional-minded scholars, theologians, and ministers. These concepts of sovereignty trickle down to the congregations of these leaders, thus instilling these ideas in their thinking. Sovereignty defined as God controlling all things, leads to the other erroneous manifestation of this belief.

 The idea that God controls all things, also means our Faith is impotent and powerless and subject to the whims of sovereignty. Religious sovereignty also means God doesn't have to keep His Word and promises. Sure He said He promises healing and wholeness, but He, in His sovereignty can say no to your believing prayer of Faith. 

 This doesn't translate to God being the Supreme authority in the universe. All this does is make God out to be a liar and one who cannot be taken at His Word. His Word means nothing, and one must wait on a personal revelation that God will meet your specific need or fulfill your request.

 Religion thinks sovereignty concepts honor God. In reality, it dishonors God because it proclaims God can lie and there is nothing you can do about it now be silent and serve Him! The Goodness of God is contrary to religion and tradition. 

 If you want to know God, you must relinquish the traditions of men and stay with the Bible, God's Word. God has revealed Himself through His Word. Throughout the Old and New Testaments, we see God's goodness all the time. 

Jesus, the Word made flesh, went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed by the devil. He went about doing good, not doing bad. He went about healing, bringing provision, and forgiving people. 

 Jesus when He encountered the woman at the well, offered her new life to come. He didn't send affliction, plague, or famine to her or her household because she was living with an unmarried man. In fact, He never condemned her, He just loved her, and His goodness led her to change her thinking.

 God is a Good Father. He is a faithful Father. In Him is light and not darkness. He is not the author of your trial or trouble. He is not the source of hard times, but amid trouble, we can run to Him and trust Him cast our burdens on Him, and see Him sustain us.

  We have a Good Father! Let's embrace this truth completely. No matter what we face, know God is not the one orchestrating it. We can trust Him and rest in His love. He is only Good and always Good. 


 

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Sunday, August 4, 2024

God is Good all the time!



For the Lord is always good. He is always loving and kind, and his faithfulness goes on and on to each succeeding generation. Psalm 100:5 TLB

The Lord is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy. The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works. Psalm 145:8-9   

  One of the most profound truths that will change a person's life is the reality of knowing and understanding the Goodness of God. When the believer is not just aware of His Goodness but has his heart established in this truth, he will see greater Faith, greater joy, and greater trust in the Father. The Goodness of God seems so elementary but it is the foundation of all other Gospel and Redemption realities.

 Faith is having a good opinion of God. Knowing just how Good God our Father is enables a trust in whatever He has promised and declared will come to pass. In fact, Faith declares whatever God has done in the Finished Work is already mine. Faith comes into agreement with what The Father has spoken and declared over our lives. 

 Only a Good God can make promises that will come to pass. If an earthly father told their child get ready we are going to get ice cream, but never took the child, and did this repeatedly, what would be the end result? If the father said again to get ready we are going for ice cream, the child would not trust what he said and more than likely wouldn't even get ready. Why? He couldn't trust those words, because those words weren't coming from a place of goodness.

 God's Goodness at all times is the single greatest foundation all other truths are built upon. Faith builds on the foundation of Goodness because it's the character of the one promising that produces trust. Goodness is the foundation Grace builds on, His character reveals He is merciful, and will give us unearned and undeserved and unmerited favor. 

 God's Goodness is revealed in His blessings. He blesses us because He is Good, not because we are good. He blesses us because He is Good, His Goodness takes pleasure in blessing and providing and prospering His people. 

 God's Goodness is revealed in His Grace and great Love for us. His Grace is greater than our worst sins. No matter how far we have fallen or fouled up, His Grace is far-reaching and will always find us. His Grace covers, cleanses, and completely forgives all our sins. Nothing we can do can be so terrible that Grace can't overcome it and bring redemption, mercy, and transformation. 

 God's Goodness is revealed in the Word of Faith. We can come in agreement with God and receive all He has purchased, procured, and provided in the Finished Work of Redemption. We can make bold declarations of Faith because we know the character of the One who promised. We can rest in what He said in His Word because He is a Good Father and He can't lie. We can take Him at His Word and freely receive. 

 God's Goodness is revealed in His healing power and the wholeness He procured for us at Calvary. He was healer when He walked the sandy shores of Galilee and He has not changed. Look again at the Gospels. Many times when Jesus healed, it states He was moved with compassion. Is He any less compassionate today? He is our healer and He is Good. 

 One area we all need to develop in is seeing God's Goodness in the face of catastrophe. In a fallen world, there exist calamities, crises, and cataclysmic events. We must gain greater insight and understanding of God's Goodness in these times. We too often assign blame in some way to God for these events. 

 We say God is sovereign. Therefore this must mean He caused the event, He ordained the event, or He allowed it for some mysterious purpose. Look again at the character of Jesus. He said if you have seen Him you have seen the Father. 

 Jesus never crippled anyone to teach them empathy for others who were infirm. He didn't bankrupt anyone to teach them humility and to ensure they didn't get too high-minded. He didn't send a storm or disaster to punish, afflict, or chastise. He didn't crush and destroy lives claiming a mysterious purpose. No, He came to save men's lives not destroy and wreak havoc in their lives. 

 When we see disaster, calamities, or tragedy, our response should be to render help, to be there for those afflicted. Our response should be us being the hands, feet, and mouth of God and His Love and Goodness. We shouldn't be claiming that disaster is God's judgment on people. We shouldn't be saying this trauma was ordained of God because He is in control and He allowed it for His purposes. 

 When we are in a trial, when we are experiencing hardship and going through a challenge, we should be running to our Good Father. We shouldn't be accusing Him of causing the affliction or allowing it for some purpose. We shouldn't be asking God why are YOU doing this to me? 

 The enemy likes to bring accusations against you for all your failings, your faults, and foul-ups. He likes to bring condemnation for the sins you commit, the very sins he tempted you with. However, when you become established in Grace these accusations lose their effectiveness. 

 The enemy has another tactic and scheme. If he can't accuse you when you fail, he will try to get you to accept accusations about God. The enemy accuses God to you. He will claim God isn't always Good. If God was Good then this thing wouldn't have happened. If God was so Good why are you still struggling? If God is Good why are your prayers going unanswered? The enemy wants you to question and doubt His Goodness and faithfulness to you. Take those thoughts captive and instead begin to praise your Good Father! Your praises still and silence the enemy. 

 We have to establish our hearts and renew our minds to this truth, that God is Good all the time! Look at Psalm 34. We see a powerful truth and establishment of His all the time Goodness.

I sought the Lord, and He heard me And delivered me from all my fears. Psalm 34:4 NKJV



This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him And saved him out of all his troubles. Psalm 34:6 NKJV


The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears And delivers them out of all their troubles. Psalm 34:17 NKJV


Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all. Psalm 34:19 NKJV



 Psalm 34 reveals Man has fears, troubles, and afflictions. However, what other pattern do you see? What is God's role in this? God is the one bringing deliverance and salvation. He is not the One bringing what's causing the fear. He isn't sending the trouble. He isn't the author of the affliction and He never will be. 

 In summation, embrace the Good News. God is always a Good Father. God is always for us and never against us. He is our advocate, He is our comforter, He is our deliverer, He is our Father. He loves us with everlasting unconditional Love. God wants an intimate relationship with His children, and knowing just how Good He is, is the foundation for that relationship. All the time God our Father is Good! 


Image by congerdesign from Pixabay

Sunday, June 23, 2024

Grace, our never ending Supply!

19 For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, 20 according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. Philippians 1:19-20 NKJV

 Grace is the absolute Good News of God's Love and Goodness, demonstrated and displayed in Jesus Christ. Grace is not a theological topic, it is not simply a new message of Christianity. Grace is the person of Jesus Christ. Grace is an ever-present and abundant supply, always available to meet our needs in every area of our lives.  

 Grace is our supply. Paul during a time of trouble and tribulation and tempest, declared by Faith that the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ would turn the situation around for his deliverance. God's grace is an abundant and never-ending supply in moments of need, uncertainty, or hardship. Whatever the demand Grace supplies.

 Grace is abundant in its supply. Grace is not scarce, or limited. It is never-ending and its reach knows no limits. Grace is limitless, infinite, and overflowing, ready to meet every demand. No matter how great the need is, His grace is always more than sufficient.

 Grace is unearned and unmerited. It is not earned or achieved, it is freely given by our Loving Heavenly Father. It is available and accessible to all who seek and ask for it, regardless of their past actions or current state.

 Grace is our ever-present help no matter what we face.  Grace supplies and sustains believers through all challenges faced in a fallen world. Grace provides strength, hope, and resilience, enabling individuals to persevere and find peace amidst adversity.

 His Grace is ever present. This is a wonderful reminder of His divine presence in our daily life. Because of Grace, we know we are never alone, and He is for us and never against us. God's Grace is with us always. He is our supply.

 Grace is our only hope and trust for victory in this life. Believing in the never-ending supply of God's grace cultivates Faith and trust in God's provision. This mindset encourages reliance on divine support and supply rather than solely on our efforts, performance, and ability to "get it right." 

 No matter the demand He is our ever-present help and full supply. No matter the circumstances or challenges, divine support, supply, and provision are always readily available. Fully embracing and trusting in His Grace transforms our outlook on life, enriching our spiritual journey and deepening our relationship with our Good Father. 

 The demands could be relational trouble, family problems, or dealing with difficult people in our work life, home life, or in our community. God's Grace supplies, patience, wisdom, kindness, and even the right words and responses in challenging or tense situations. His Grace is enough. 

 Oftentimes, the demand comes from Law. That is the stipulations, the burdensome rules, and regulations traditional religion likes to place upon us. Thanks be to God though we are no longer under Law but Grace. We can freely fellowship and commune with our Father without the distractions of man-made rules.

 For Christ is the end of the law, so now there is righteousness for everyone who believes. Romans 10:4 MOUNCE

 2 I know they love God, but they don't understand what makes people acceptable to him. So they refuse to trust God, and they try to be acceptable by obeying the Law. But Christ makes the Law no longer necessary for those who become acceptable to God by faith. Romans 10:2-4 CEV

 Christ is the end of the Law. Righteousness is only found in trusting Jesus alone. We are delivered from the Law.

 But now we are delivered from the law, having died to things in which we were bound, so that we may serve in newness of the Spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter of the law. Romans 7:6 MEV

 We are no longer under the Law. The Law no longer rules over us. We follow Christ by the Spirit, not by burdensome demands of the written Law. 

 No matter what we are dealing with in this life, we can rejoice knowing His Grace supplies and is our ever-present help in trouble. His Grace is enough. He is always for us. Whatever the demand His Grace is the supply and we are never lacking, because His Grace is limitless and overflowing. 


 Image courtesy of Sira Anamwong at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Sunday, June 9, 2024

Grace, Faith or fantasy?

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of works, so that no one should boast. Ephesians 2:8-9 MEV
 

The Gospel is the Grace of God revealed and manifest through Christ. Grace is the unearned, undeserved, and unmerited favor of God. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the proof of things we can't see, and the conviction of their reality. Faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to our natural senses. 

 Grace and Faith are power twins of victorious Christian living. Grace has provided all things for life and godliness. The Redemptive work of Christ fully and freely paid for and provided all the fullness of blessing, healing, peace, wholeness, forgiveness, and eternal life.

 Grace made this available. Though it is ours freely, we must receive it. Faith receives what belongs to us because of Jesus' Finished Work. In essence, Grace makes and Faith takes.

 This is the Good News of receiving abundant Grace and living by Faith. Grace provided and Faith reaches out and takes it. Jesus' work of redemption gives us hope and peace in this life. This is not fantasy. We can trust in God for help, healing, and hope on this side of heaven.

 Believing Grace has already provided all we need is not chasing a fantasy or "pipe dream." We have hope in this life. This is a tangible hope. This is not living in the realm of make-believe.

 God is actually Good! The Scriptures bear this out. He fed the children of Israel with manna daily. He provided water from the rock. He fed the five thousand. He declared He wills for us to prosper and be in health. We have a Good Father we can actually put our trust in.

 Perhaps, some make the assessment that Faith is fantasy because they claim they don't see the power and presence of God today. Religious tradition, the scheming deception of the enemy makes Faith appear as fantasy. It distorts Faith and trust. Therefore what some people claim Faith is, isn't really Faith. They may call something faith but it isn't the God kind of Faith.

 Some have the faith that waits. This is a passive waiting, not patience. This type of faith is characterized by passivity. It waits for something to happen without taking proactive steps. While waiting on God is sometimes necessary, this type of faith can lead to inaction and missed opportunities because it lacks the component of active trust.

  Some have a faith that merely speculates. It is an uncertain faith.  This type of faith is marked by uncertainty and hesitation. It speculates about what might happen but lacks conviction. Speculative faith often leads to doubt and indecision, preventing believers from stepping out confidently in God's promises. It is not fully trusting our good Father.

 Some even have a faith that merely wishes and hopes. This is a nursery rhyme faith. That is the same as looking into the sky and twiddling our thumbs saying Twinkle twinkle little star. This is a faith that Wishes and Hopes. This faith is more about wishing and hoping rather than being fully persuaded. It lacks the deep conviction needed for confident action. Wishing and hoping without being fully persuaded often result in disappointment and a lack of tangible results.

 When we fully trust in the love of God and rest in His goodness we will walk in the God kind of Faith. We will have a fully Persuaded Faith. Romans 4:21, "And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.This type of faith is characterized by an unwavering belief in God's promises and His ability to fulfill them. It is fully convinced and does not waver regardless of circumstances.

This Faith compels us to speak out. We will have a confident declaration;

 Mark 11:23: "For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says."

  We will Speak with Authority. This faith speaks God's promises with authority, believing that what is spoken will come to pass. It declares the end result with confidence.

 At its core, Faith is about having a positive and confident view of God. Faith Believes that He is a good Father who is faithful and just and always acts in our best interest. Faith involves agreeing with God's perspective and declarations, regardless of external situations. It’s an unwavering trust that what God has said is true and will come to pass.

 True faith is in two places. It is in the heart. It’s a deep-seated belief in God’s character, promises, and power. This internal conviction shapes our worldview and our reactions to life’s challenges. It is also in our mouth. 

 Faith is not just about internal belief but also about verbal confession. Speaking in agreement with God’s Word is a powerful act that reinforces our faith and brings it into reality. The words we speak in agreement with God shape our reality. Confession is a powerful tool for believers. When we speak the Word of God over our lives, we align our circumstances with His promises. 

 Faith, trusting in God is not a fantasy we Christians hold fast to. It is not a fairy tale. We can confidently take God at His Word. 

 God has provided all things because of His Goodness and great Love. His Grace has procured and provided all we need in this life. Faith reaches out and takes what Grace has already made. 

  Regardless of our challenges, we can stand firm on the Word of God and trust our Good Father. The Word is not fantasy or make-believe. The Word of God is a powerful force in the life of a believer. By continually confessing and standing on His promises, we invite His transformative power into every area of our lives. Remember, the Word is working mightily in you and for you! Keep speaking it, believing it, and watching it come to pass



Image by Pexels from Pixabay

Monday, May 20, 2024

Will the Real Radical Grace Gospel please stand up!

  For the Law was given through Moses, but grace [the unearned, undeserved favor of God] and truth came through Jesus Christ. John 1:17 AMP 

 Who doesn't like to hear good news? The Word even declares a good report refreshes and strengthens our bones. What is the Good News? It is the glad tidings of salvation through Christ. The proclamation of the Grace of God manifest and pledged in Christ. This is the good news Gospel. It's glad tidings of total salvation in and through Christ.

 Grace is the Good News. We don't need the enemy's deception or errors distorting Grace. We don't need the traditions and misunderstandings from men to detract from it. Grace is amazing enough just as Paul first proclaimed it. 

 In the previous study, we addressed the enemy's counterfeit to Grace. We detailed the depths of the enemy's hijacking of the Grace message and exposed its full error. Dr. Brown sadly lumped Grace preachers in the same category as those proclaiming the error of inclusion/universalism in his book that attacks the Grace message. 

It is imperative to hear the Good News of the Grace of God. Grace is not just a new message or some fading fad. It is the Gospel of Jesus. Grace and the Gospel are simple. Mankind seems to always make the simple complex and hard to understand. 

We should know and fully understand the message of Grace. When we hear it we grow and have a more fruitful relationship with our Father and our brothers and sisters in Christ. Understanding the importance of hearing, we must also understand what the real Grace message is.

 Too often through our traditions, our various backgrounds, and our denominational experience we add to the message of Grace. Understand that the message of Grace is amazing just as it is. We don't need to help it out.

 What is the real message of Grace? It is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is the Good News that Jesus has fully completed the Work. It is the happy Gospel that Jesus paid the price in full and the Father has accepted the completed payment and is fully satisfied with Jesus' sacrifice. It is the wonderful realization that if Jesus' sacrifice is enough we can't add to it.

 This is the foundation of the Radical Grace Gospel. How do we know we are hearing the message of Grace unashamedly preached? It is simple, look at the sermon Paul preached. Look at the New Covenant described in Hebrews

For it is by grace [God’s remarkable compassion and favor drawing you to Christ] that you have been saved [actually delivered from judgment and given eternal life] through faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [not through your own effort], but it is the [undeserved, gracious] gift of God; not as a result of [your] works [nor your attempts to keep the Law], so that no one will [be able to] boast or take credit in any way [for his salvation]. Ephesians 2:8-9 AMP

  To be more specific, the Grace messages preaches the main clause of the New Covenant. What is the main clause? The complete forgiveness of all sin, past and present and future. This forgiveness is not dependent on our apology or acknowledgment of our sins. It is because of Jesus' sacrifice we are forgiven.

 The Grace messages preaches that the Blood of Jesus alone is what forgives. No other sacrifice is acceptable. We can't apologize enough, or promise God we won't mess up for sin to be forgiven. No amount of abstinence from sin or good works brings forgiveness. Only the Blood of Jesus forgives, cleanses, and removes all sin, all guilt, and all shame.

 The Grace message is not a condemning message to those who fail or those who are continually failing. Condemnation kills and is not what motivates the believer to overcome sin. God our Father is merciful and long-suffering. Jesus has already paid the price in full and our Father will not impute our sins to our account nor does He remember them. 

 The message of Grace magnifies the wonderful work of Jesus. Grace honors God's New Covenant. Grace understands the New Covenant begins with Christ's once for all sacrifice. Jesus' death, not His birth ushered in the New Covenant. The majority of the four Gospels take place under the Old Covenant. 

 The Grace message is not a mixture of Law and Grace. It is not a blend of the Old Covenant and the New Covenant. The prerequisites to receive from God under the Old are not the same as the New Covenant. Under the Old, the faithful, obedient ones to the Law were blessed. Under the New, Jesus has already procured the blessing. 

 The Grace message understands our standing before God is Christ's standing. We don't come to God based on anything we do or don't do. We come to God based on Jesus' faithfulness and perfect obedience and receive the blessings and Goodness of God.

  The Grace message teaches that the believer is fully secure in Christ. The one who has trusted in Christ is completely forgiven and forever secure in their Father's hands. The Grace of God affirms the unconditional eternal security of the believer. 

 Grace reveals a Good Father who loves us. The Grace message proclaims a loving and merciful Father. God isn't sending judgment or tragedy today. Jesus paid the price and the Father has accepted the payment, He is not punishing us, nations, or cities because of sin.

 This is the beautiful message of Grace. This is what we who have experienced Grace should fellowship around. This is the common ground of Grace. 

 We shouldn't be divided on other doctrines that have nothing to do with Grace. Our fellowship is about Grace, not our views on tithing,  or the type of church services we have.

 We who have received Grace don't have to argue about end-time views. There is not a set "hyper-Grace" view of the end times. Some churches and ministries are Grace-based but don't agree with the charismatic gifts for today. It doesn't matter because we are fellowshipping around the Grace of God not our views about the Holy Spirit moving today.

 I have presented the clear message of Grace. This is something Charismatic, Word of Faith, mainline denominational, cessationist Christians who have had their heart ambushed by Grace can fully celebrate and fellowship with. We have this much in common let's celebrate Grace. Let's come together and advance this Gospel truth.

 In summation, we have already exposed the false, the counterfeit. We have revealed what Grace is not, works or performance. We have also seen what the Grace Gospel is. I would like to share a powerful resource a brother in Christ has put together. This is an excellent minister of the New Covenant and Grace and yes I am practicing my message, we disagree on the end times, but that's not important, and not what we fellowship around. 

 Here is this resource here, locate Grace Ministries. Looking for a Grace church? Looking for Grace teaching online? Looking for Grace resources? This is the place. Let's come together under the banner of Grace, the real Gospel of Grace.

  

Image by Azeddine Behlouli from Pixabay